UPSC INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (11) 2015-16: Aravind Saxena Board

Read more Interviews of 2015 here– Archives

Name- Pavankumar.G.Giriyappanavar.

Date-28/04/2016 Morning session

Duration-30-35 minutes

Board- Mr.Aravind Saxena Board

I was Second candidate to be interviewed.

P.S– I have tried to reproduce answers as I have answered in interview. But it can’t be the same. I have tried to mention the core ideas, concepts based on which I have answered.

Chairman.

CM-So, you graduated in 2014.Fresh from college.

Me– Yes sir.

CM-Why did you choose engineering and why not humanities?

Me– Sir, After my 12^th exams, I was interested in Science so I opted for engineering.

CM– Suppose we are importing walkie-talkies from China for Border security and Armed forces what can be the implications.

Me- Mentioned about possibility of a device or component fitted in which can make them overhear our communication and plans. So It is a security concern.

CM– Are you following surge pricing by Taxi service providers.

Me– Yes sir, I came to Delhi 4 days before and I am aware of it.

CM- Tell me as a representative of these companies, how will you defend the surge pricing?

Me– Mentioned about algorithm within application that increase the price, so demand-supply mismatch and more taxies on the road.

CM– Tell me more points about how you will you defend?

Me– Sir, I cant think of points where I can defend this, in between I mentioned about capping of prices and all but he intervened.

CM- Panama paper leak is in news. There is also a Panama canal. Which two water bodies does it connect?

Me– sir, Pacific and Atlantic ocean.

CM– The amount of water on these water bodies is different, then how did they manage to build it?

Me– Sir, I am unable recollect it.

CM– How do see India’s handling of issue of Visa to Dolkan Isa? Did it handle properly?

Me– Sir, definitely it could have been handled better. But we are in a uncomfortable position to answer the questions.

CM– Do you support Indian idea of supporting dissidents and separatists of other countries on the backdrop that China hasn’t supported in Masood Azar issue?

Me- Sir, India has always followed the concept of non interfering in the internal matters of Other countries that affect their sovereignty. India shouldn’t follow ‘Tit-for-Tat’ principle in this. Rather we should explore avenues like UN for raising our concerns.

CM– that’s Okay. UN hasn’t worked. What else?

Me– sir,We should go for bilateral talks.

Member 1 ( He was highly curious to know some things and interviewed me for around 10 minutes after which Chairman intervened and cut short it.)

M1– So why did you opt Sociology?

Me– Sir, While choosing optional for mains exam, I went through the syllabus of all subjects and found syllabus of Sociology as familiar as followed some of them closely. Also it was scoring subject.

M1– It is a scoring subject?

Me– Sir, From what I have heard from friends and teachers, It is a scoring subject.

M1– Tell what is leadership. Types of leadership.

Me– Gave basic definition of leadership as a quality of an individual who inspires, leads from the front. He sets the targets for a group and leads to attain them.

About types I was not sure, but roughly mentioned that Legal-rational authority based leadership and traditional leadership.

M1– Do you know about types?

Me–  Sir, I m not able to recollect it.

M1– Tell me what criteria’s I need to look if I want to buy a mobile?

Me- Sir,User friendly in handling, battery backup, Smart phones need to be preferred as they provide multiple applications, Heating of mobiles also need to be looked after.

M1- Even iphone gets heated up. So what to do?

Me– Yes sir.It is one of the concern that mobile manufacturers are trying to address.

M1– Why mobile phones are heating up?

Me– Sir, Manufacturers are shifting from Dual core processors to quad core processers and frequency of operation is increasing.Number of applications performed at a time are increasing. This is releasing heat but they don’t have adequate cooling mechanism to address it.

M1– So, you follow European football. Have you played football?(Hobby-Following European Football)

Me– Sir, I used to play during my graduation in free time.

M 1– In Which position you used to play?

Me– Sir, As a striker and centre forward.

M1– Striker or Centre forward?

Me– Sir, I used to exchange roles sometimes.

M1– So you have coordinated in a marathon for martyrs. But there is very less mention of army, soldiers and martyrs in our books. How do we approach such issue?.In what way these marathons help?

Me– Yes sir. It is a concern. In the marathon I coordinated we tried to create awareness about the leadership, sacrifices of army and martyrs so that people can imbibe the qualities of them. Also we need to include them in our curriculum for education. It shouldn’t be a single day phenomenon. Such events should be conducted regularly. It should be a ongoing process throughout the year.

M1– Crime rates are rising in society. What can we do to address this?

Me– Sir, it is unfortunate that the rate is high. By better enforcement of law and improved sensitization of people since childhood we can improve this situation.

M1– Are these measures not taken?

b- Sir, they are on course and I think in coming years we can see an improvement.

Member-2( Lady member, she was very cordial and provided inputs to my answers)

M2- What is ‘Civic Sense’?

Me– Sorry madam. I am unable to define it now.

M2– Try.

Me– Madam, it is a conduct of an individual in a society, ambience and environment. He will also be aware of his rights and duties.

M2– Give one example.

Me– Madam, following traffic rules.

M2– What about of respecting elders, not using mobile phones in a meeting, giving chair for elders?

Me– Yes madam. All these can be called as ‘civic sense’.

M2– I am interested to know about your interest ‘Watching documentaries on Nature and Society’. How did you to start this?(Interest-Watching documentaries on Nature and Society)

Me– Madam, I used to watch episodes of Nat geo in TV since Childhood about wildlife and when I left home for graduation I started to watch documentaries.

M2– So you developed this?

Me– Yes madam.

M2- What exactly is this ‘Nature and society’in this documentaries?

Me– Madam, I watch mainly documentaries from BBC productions.(intervened in between)

M2- Oh BBC, okay. Explain with one example.

Me– Madam, In ‘Planet Earth’ series of BBC they try to cover multidimensional aspects of different topography of Earth like Great Plains, Poles, Caves and others. They also talk with local communities and enquire about how these topographies are impacted and changing. They invest in technology and making.

Member-3 (I can say that he is from Karnataka based on the depth of the questions he asked. He was charming and smiling. Appreciated my answers with smile and provided timely inputs)

(Addresses me Mr. Giriyappanavar (my surname) which sent a bit of vibe in me as very rarely I was addressed in such a way)

M3- Your college is still under VTU or it is autonomous university?

Me– Sir, It was under VTU till 2014.It became autonomous after I graduated.

M3- In districts like Haveri, Dharwad people keep vegetable and fruit names as their surnames.(My District-Haveri)

Me- Sir,(I was trying to recollect and he gives an example of ‘Menasinakayi’ which means Chilly in English)

M3– Tell me one personality associated with this name.

Me– Sir, Mr.Menasinakayi was a MLA from Byadgi and later Haveri constituency.

M3- Explain to everyone why people keep such names. (He makes gesture asking me to answer this question looking at everyone)

Me- Sir, Chilly(Menasinakayi) is famous in Byadgi. Byadgi Chilly has even got GI tag. It is cultivated on a large scale. People tend to attach this name as their surname to get an identity that they have a connection with Chilly(Menasinakayi).

M3– Tell me some such other names.

Me– Sorry sir, I am unable to recollect it now.

M3-  Name some personalities from Dharwad district in the field of Music especially Classical Music.

Me– Sir, Mrs.Gangubai Hangal, Hindustani singer, Mr.Bhimsen Joshi, Mr.Mallikarjun Mansur(I said Mr.Manjunath Mansur and M3 corrected me).

M3– Did all these artists did their work here in Karnataka?

Me- Sir, Mrs.Gangubai Hangal was born in Hangal but she worked mainly in Bombay, Mrs.Bhimsen Joshi was born here but he based his works in Pune and Mr.Mansur was born here and performed here.

M3–  Mention some of the administrators whom you have noticed in Karnataka.

Me- Sir, DC(District Commisssioner) Mr.Amlam Aditya Biswas impressed me during my school days. Later it was Mr.P.S.Vastrad as DC  surprised me with his handling ability of farmer distress when I was in graduation.

M3- Mr.Biswas is also known for some other thing. What’s it?

Me- Sir, Mr.Biswas was phenomenal in revealing illegal mining in Ballari district.

M3-  Thank you Mr.Giriyappanavar.

Me- Thank you sir.

M4- He was wearing spectacles and his outfit made me think that he was a journalist(??!!)

M4- Mr.Pavan you are a Computer engineer. ( I’m a Electronics and Communications engineer which left me confused but decided not to correct him as I felt that I may hurt his ego, so continued to listen)

Tell me the evolution of Computers.

Me- Sir, Mr.Charles Babbage is considered to the ‘Father of Computers’ and earliest computers were large in size. (M4 intervenes)

M4- Why the size was big?

Me– Sir, It is because of transistors which are essential components of Computers. Their size was big and nowadays we are having small transistors because of Moore’s law.

M4– But I think it has come to a limit. (Mentions about the Moore’s law as I said that Moore’s law speaks about doubling number of transistors on a Integrated chip every year)

Me-   Yes sir. Experts have mentioned that in 2015 it has reached saturation and the number of transistors can’t be doubled further.

M4– What are the new developments in computers?

Me – Sir, We are heading towards super computers and Quantum computers which can compute operations, calculations of large scale at a fraction of time. Data processing is also improved by them.

M4- There is something called ‘Artificial intelligence’.

Me-  Yes sir. Its is new development (M4 Intervenes )

M4- Don’t you think ‘Artificial intelligence’ will make computers superior to men? Should we handover responsibility to computers?

Me- Sir, We have to be caution in its application. Man should be the regulator of it and we shouldn’t lose our handling in critical applications. We need to have a restricted use of ‘Artificial intelligence’.

M4- Tell about India Japan similarity.

Me- Sir, Both the countries had harsh past and difficulties in coming up. And now both of them are major economies of the world.

M4– Tell me something in connection with WW2.

Me– Sir, I am not able relate it properly. (Gives hint as he mentions about INA). INA was started by Mr.Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore but I am unable to trace its activities.

M4- okay.Tell me whether the action of Mr. Subhash Chandra Bose in joining Germany, Japan was right or wrong? Just say Right or Wrong.

Me- Sir, Considering the circumstances of that time I feel his action was right. (No further question on this)

M4- what was his principle?

Me- Sir, His principle was ‘enemy of a enemy is a friend’ ( M4 smiles).

M4- Coming back to Japan, how it is important now?

Me- sir, japan is fast growing economy and it can help India in infrastructure and also Security.

M4- How in security? Give an example.

Me- Sir, We are conducting joint maritime drills with Japan to boost our cooperation.

M4- There is another famous naval drill by India. What’s it?

Me- Sir, It is Malabar. It is done jointly with United States.

Chairman- Mr.Pavan, thank you. Your interview is over.